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Sufi Board Wants Waqf To Be Transferred To Home Department For Protecting Properties Against Encroachments

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Sufi Board Wants Waqf To Be Transferred To Home Department For Protecting Properties Against Encroachments

Mumbai: Even as Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju introduced The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 and proposed sending it to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) after opposition parties objected to its provision, one major group representing Sufi Muslims has supported the bill.

Mansoor Khan, National President of the Sufi Islamic Board, said they had sent recommendations to the Government of India, including the idea that the Waqf Act should be removed from the jurisdiction of the Minority Ministry and brought under the Home Ministry.

“This is because the Minority Ministry neither prevents encroachments nor takes any action against them as it lacks the necessary powers. My recommendation was that if the Home Ministry or any other ministry with prosecution powers takes it under its wing, we can get rid of the illegal encroachments on Waqf properties that have been there for 70 years,” said Khan

Khan said that the law did not concern just Muslims but members of other religious groups as the Islamic concept defined by Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, emphasises the rights of neighbors. “He taught us to take care of one’s neighbors. If we look at it this way, these properties intended for public welfare should be used for the benefit of all humanity.” Sufi is a sect of Islam that incorporates worship at tombs of saints, singing, and rituals. They claim to form a majority of the population.

According to Khan, if the Home Ministry or the state administration takes charge of Waqf properties, the police and District Collector can take action against encroachments, ensuring that the properties are not illegally occupied in the future.

The amended bill provides for a recomposition of the Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf boards to ensure the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies. The bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board for Shia subjects like Bohras and Agakhanis. Currently, only the mainstream Shia community has Waqf boards in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Significantly, the bill omits section 40 which relates to the powers of the Waqf board to decide if a property is Waqf. There have been allegations that land and properties have been arbitrarily declared Waqf.

Members of the opposition have criticised the provisions in the bill. AIMIM Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi said, “This Bill has been brought on the basis of the government’s hatred for the Muslim community and to reward those who have encroached upon Waqf properties. To say that it has been sent to JPC is fine, but it is no such success.”

However, the Sufi Islamic Board said they will not oppose the bill. “As we mentioned, it is being done for Muslim welfare. Tell us one thing that the Waqf Board has achieved for Muslims in the past 70 years. The BJP is a political party, just like Congress, and everyone has their own opinion. What does voting for the BJP or any other party matter in this?” asked Khan.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Husband arrested for killing wife over excess salt in biryani

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crime

Mumbai: A sensational case of wife murder has occurred in Mumbai. A man brutally murdered his wife in the Beganwadi area of ​​Mumbai. Surprisingly, the motive behind this bloody altercation is being reported as simply “too much salt in the biryani.” Police acted promptly and arrested the murderous husband, Manzar Imam Hussain.

A Story of Old Enmity and Violence
The family of the deceased, Nazia Parveen, told police that this was not just a one-night stand. Nazia and Manzar had a love marriage two years ago, in October 2023, but soon after their marriage, Manzar’s behavior changed. He would often assault Nazia over trivial matters. About three months ago, Manzar reached the peak of his brutality, beating Nazia so severely that she broke a tooth. Daily domestic quarrels ultimately escalated into a tragic murder. Death from Salt in Biryani

According to police, on the night of the incident, December 20th, Nazia had cooked biryani at home. When Manzar sat down to eat, they began arguing about the biryani being too salty. The argument escalated to the point where Manzar became enraged and hit Nazia’s head against the wall. Nazia died on the spot from severe head injuries and excessive bleeding.

Accused in Police Custody

Upon learning of the incident, Shivaji Nagar police arrived at the scene, took possession of the body, and registered a murder case against the accused husband under the BNS section. Police arrested Manzar Imam Hussain, who was trying to escape. Police are currently interrogating the accused to piece together all aspects of this heinous crime.

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Maharashtra

Kirit Somaiya and Nitesh Rane are only spreading hatred in the name of Hindu-Muslim relations, and creating suspicion is their agenda: Abu Asim Azmi

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ABU ASIM AZMI

Mumbai: The BJP is engaging in politics of chaos and hatred in the name of Hindus and Muslims for votes. What wrong have Muslims done that Kirit Somaiya and Nitesh Rane are constantly spewing venom against them? They talk about brotherhood, but they have no constructive thinking or strategy to fight corruption. That’s why Hindus and Muslims continue to do the same thing day and night to benefit themselves and create divisions in society. By inciting hatred between Hindus and Muslims, they are creating an atmosphere of hatred in society. This serious allegation was made by Abu Asim Azmi, leader of the Maharashtra Samajwadi Party and member of the Workers’ Assembly. He said that when Khan became the mayor of Mumbai, where were the Muslims, but the BJP has started making it an issue and is trying to scare Hindus in the name of Muslims. Muslims say that someone from Mumbai should be elected mayor so that the city can develop, but an attempt has been made to create divisions in the name of the mayor. Based on a survey conducted a year ago, it is being said that Mumbai’s demographics are changing and the number of Bangladeshi infiltrators has increased. Azmi stated that the government needs to focus on where illegal Bangladeshis are coming from, what the government is doing, and why this infiltration is occurring. However, the way Muslims are being harassed in the name of Bangladeshis is wrong. He stated that radical Muslim leaders are advising Hindus to increase their population. Regarding Navneet Rane’s comment, Abu Asim Azmi said, “Who stopped her from having forty children? But she shouldn’t create suspicion in the name of Hindus and Muslims. This is very harmful. There is a political agenda to create hatred against Muslims. Ahead of the BMC elections, Soumya and Nitesh Rane have become agitated and are spewing venom against Muslims. This should be banned.”

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Weather Update For Dec 24, 2025: City Wakes Up To Clear Skies & Winter Chill; Air Quality Improves Majorly, AQI In Moderate Range At 86

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WETHER

Mumbai: Mumbai woke up to a cool and relatively crisp Wednesday morning, offering residents a short-lived taste of winter comfort. Clear skies, gentle winds and a noticeable dip in humidity provided early morning relief, making conditions pleasant for commuters, morning walkers and outdoor workers. However, despite the favourable weather, air quality continued to remain a concern.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast a bright and comfortable day for the financial capital, with temperatures expected to hover between 17°C and 32°C. While the weather lived up to expectations, air quality emerged as the key issue shaping public health discussions through the day.

According to data from air quality monitoring platform AQI.in, Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 86 in the early hours, placing it in the ‘moderate’ category. This marked a significant improvement compared to the poor and unhealthy air recorded over the past few weeks.

The improvement comes amid heightened scrutiny of pollution control measures following recent observations by the Bombay High Court, which reprimanded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) over repeated violations of pollution norms at infrastructure project sites.

Despite the overall improvement, pollution sources continue to persist across the city. Construction dust and fine particulate matter remain the primary contributors to Mumbai’s pollution burden. Several large-scale government infrastructure projects, including metro rail corridors, flyovers, coastal road extensions and extensive road-widening works, are underway simultaneously. These, along with aggressive private real estate development, have led to sustained dust emissions. Vehicular pollution during peak traffic hours further compounds the problem, particularly at busy junctions and arterial roads.

Several areas still recorded worrying AQI levels. The Wadala Truck Terminal emerged as a pollution hotspot with an AQI of 183, falling in the ‘poor’ category. Chembur followed with an AQI of 123, while Colaba recorded 117, both also classified as poor. Deonar reported an AQI of 98, placing it at the higher end of the ‘moderate’ range. Malad, a densely populated residential and commercial area, recorded an AQI of 95.

Suburban regions showed comparatively better air quality, though conditions remained far from ideal. Govandi recorded an AQI of 52, while Malad West stood at 62, both in the moderate category. Kandivali East reported 67, Vile Parle West 68 and Jogeshwari 70, indicating that pollution continues to be widespread across the city.

For perspective, AQI values between 0–50 are considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 poor, 151–200 unhealthy and above 200 hazardous.

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